Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West
Live album by Michael Bloomfield
Released 1969
Recorded 1969
Genre Blues
Length 49:22
Label Columbia
Producer Elliot Mazer
Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West is a great set of songs performed in 1969 with Nick Gravenites. Guests include Taj Mahal and Jesse "Ed" Davis.
Professional Ratings:
allmusic 4/5 stars
Review by Richie Unterberger of allmusic:
When Mike Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites were recorded by Columbia at the Fillmore West in early 1969, most of the tracks the label released appeared on Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West. However, not a little additional material from the same source appeared on one side of Gravenites' My Labors LP. This set doesn't contain the most notable of Bloomfield's recordings; it's not the best band he played with, nor is it the best material with which he had to work. It's best appreciated as one of numerous releases on which to hear his reliably accomplished blues-rock guitar work, although it's not as flashy or inventive as his best performances, the arrangements sometimes recalling Electric Flag due to the presence of a horn section. No less than four vocalists (Gravenites, Bloomfield, Bob Jones, and Taj Mahal, who guests on "One More Mile to Go") were featured on the original Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West LP.
Review on amazon:
This is one of the greatest live blues album ever! I am not scared about making this statement as I believe that this is absolutely true. This live set recorded in 1969 finds Mike at the pick of his career and in a fantastic shape. Michael's performance in here is so good to leave you speechless. Numbers like Blues On A Westside, Moon Tune, It Takes Time, Killing My Love, Carmelita Skiffle, It's About Time, One More Mile To Go are real gems that are going to remain in the history of blues music. More, they should be played in every music school to teach how electric blues is meant to be played! Surely Mike has been one of the most, if not the most, influential white blues guitarist ever lived. Just listen to the intro of Blues On A West Side and then to Ronnie Earl's Rego Park Blues final solo (live version) and you will see. However in this fantastic album packed from start to finish with excellence, also the performances of the great vocalist Nick Gravenites deserves a special mention, as does the guest appearance of Taj Mahal. This is a 1969 recording sounding as fresh as it was recorded yesterday, a real masterpiece that deserves attention not just from blues lovers but also from everyone who love music.
LP track listing
Side One
1. "It Takes Time" (Willie Dixon, Otis Rush) - 4:36
2. "Oh Mama" (Michael Bloomfield) - 3:00
3. "Love Got Me" (Arthur Conley) - 2:38
4. "Blues on a Westside" (Nick Gravenites) - 15:35
Side Two
5. "One More Mile to Go" (Joseph Cotton) - 11:10
6. "It's About Time" (Nick Gravenites) - 7:02
7. "Carmelita Skiffle" (Michael Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites, Booker T. Jones, Mark Naftalin) - 5:21
Personnel:
* Michael Bloomfield - guitar, vocals
* Mark Naftalin - piano
* John Kahn - bass
* Bob Jones - drums, vocals
* Jesse "Ed" Davis - guitar
* Taj Mahal - harmonica, vocals
* Ira Kamin - organ
* Gerald Oshita - baritone saxophone
* Snooky Flowers - baritone saxophone
* Noel Jewkis - tenor saxophone
* John Wilmeth - trumpet
* Dino Andino - congas
* Nick Gravenites - vocals